Terminites
Granok-sized colonial insects of unknown origin, terminites can be found in most regions of Nexus in all varieties of climates. Like their distant cousins the buzzbings, they construct enormous hives from locally found materials, and gather resources to feed and protect their queens. Unlike the buzzbings, however, terminites do not produce commercially useful products like honey - and are seen primarily as a dangerous nuisance by Dominion and Exile settlers, mostly because of their habit and ability to eat virtually anything and everything, and reproduce at shockingly fast rates if left unchecked. Physical Description Terminites are large, multi-legged arthropods with only a few variations in body type. These variations show the primary task to which the individual is dedicated: warrior-types are larger and brawnier, workers are smaller and more uniform, while queens are much bigger than any others in the hive. Terminites also display a high rate of mutation thanks to frequent exposure to primal energy. Terminite Colonies Terminites live in colonies, occupying nests they dig deep into the ground. The upper levels of the nests general take the form of dome-like organic structures on the surface, while much larger caverns and chambers can extend for miles beneath the surface. A nest is always home to one or more queens, depending on the overall population of that terminite colony. Terminite Venom Like buzzbings, terminites can sting. Their venom, however, is not quite as potent as their airborne cousins. Terminite attackers focus on overwhelming their foes with multiple stings at once, allowing the entire nest to get in on the kill. Terminites appear to compete for the chance to attack any threats to their homes, leading some scientists to hypothesize that individuals who kill for the queen receive additional food or mating considerations. Terminite Mutations Scan data show clear signs of drastic and accelerated mutation in the terminite specimens found in Deradune's Exo-Lab 79. Calculations indicate this must be caused by active Eldan technology within the exo-lab, though whether the original function of this technology was causing mutations is unclear. It may be that these unusual new terminite forms are simply the result of centuries of exposure to the primal energy that powers the facility. Terminite Toxin Mutation Varieties of terminites in the Auroria region have evolved a particularly lethal array of biological toxins. Scans show that certain mutations within their nervous systems renders them immune to toxin exposure, allowing their bodies to generate poisons which would kill an ordinary creature from within. Terminite Queens Like many colonial insectoids, terminites build their primitive colonies around a central queen. Terminite queens are invariably larger, stronger, and more long-lived than ordinary warriors or drones. Slaying a terminite queen before another queen is ready to take over can result in the slow starvation and death of a colony. Without a queen to protect, it may also cause the terminites of that doomed colony more passive toward invaders. Terminite Eggs Terminite queens reproduce by laying eggs. Scan data shows terminite eggs are particularly hardy and able to withstand harsh toxic environmental conditions, in part by absorbing those toxins into the interior of the egg. This allows the unborn terminite inside to emerge fully adapted to surrounding conditions. This may explain, at least in part, the many varieties and subspecies of terminites present on Nexus. Subspecies Barkblight Feeder - Everstar Grove Barkblight Biter - Everstar Grove Category:Species Category:Bestiary